Several hundred girls, parents of girls and educators from across Utah will converge on Utah Valley University March 2 for the 27th annual Expanding Your Horizons conference for girls at the Sorensen Student Center. The event, which is expected to attract up to 900 participants, is designed to inspire girls in grades sixth through 12 to earn a college degree in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and to pursue high-paying, non-traditional careers.

“Programs like ‘Expanding Your Horizons’ are needed more than ever,” said Jennie Briggs, director of UVU’s Equity in Education Center. “STEM fields are growing rapidly and there are currently not enough qualified people to fill all of the existing jobs. We are striving to get girls interested in pursuing STEM fields because rewarding careers are available and companies want to hire women.”

The conference provides girls the opportunity to attend three hands-on workshops that are all presented by female professionals. The girls are encouraged to take STEM classes in school and inspired to attend and graduate from college. There are also workshops for parents and educators that share new ideas and resources on how to help girls succeed.

“Expanding Your Horizons changes lives,” Briggs said. “I know it has made a difference when moms who came to the conference when they were girls, bring their daughters and tell me stories of how the conference empowered them to attain college degrees and become successful in professional careers. They bring their daughters because they have the same hope for them; that they will be inspired to begin their own journey.”

More than 45 hands-on workshops will be offered for the girls to choose from, including: biology, computer science, environmental science, genetics and molecular biology, media engineering and production, physical therapy and sports medicine, paleontology, statistics, and zoology. New to the lineup this year are workshops introducing participants to the careers of certified nurse midwife, engineer and theatre technology.

The conference will be held from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition to the workshops, there will also be a career fair with interactive booths that include a flight simulator, a SimMan (human patient simulator), robots, educational Wii games, physics experiments, martial arts demonstrations and more.

Pre-conference registration is $25, and on-site registration is $35. The UVU Equity Center has partnered with Salt Lake Community College, to provide online registration at spedregistration.com. Forms and workshop descriptions can also be downloaded at uvu.edu/equitycenter/horizons. For specific questions, contact the UVU Equity Center at equity@uvu.edu or call 801-863-8498.

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About UVU

Utah Valley University is located in Orem, Utah, and is home to more than 30,000 students. UVU began as a vocational school during World War II, and in the seven decades since has evolved into a technical school, community school, state college and, finally, a comprehensive regional teaching university. UVU is one of Utah’s largest institutions of higher learning and offers programs ranging from career training to high-demand master degrees, with emphasis on undergraduate education.